Courthouse List Trimmed

Remaining Three Choices For $40 Million Project Are In Or Near Downtown

May 13, 2005|By DAVID OWENS; Courant Staff Writer

TORRINGTON — State officials have narrowed their list of potential sites for a new Litchfield Judicial District courthouse to three locations in or near downtown Torrington.

Torrington Mayor Owen J. Quinn and state Sen. Andrew Roraback, R-Goshen, praised the decision, contending -- as they have for some time -- that downtown Torrington is the right place for the state to invest the $40 million allocated for the new courthouse.

The three sites are:

The E.J. Kelley Co. property at Water and John streets, including the old Torrington train station and an adjoining municipal parking lot.

Former Torrington Co. facilities at 59 Field St., now owned by Timken Co.

The old Nidec America plant and adjoining property at 100 Franklin Drive.

``The whole predicate to this proposition is that the building will help anchor a revitalized downtown Torrington,'' said Roraback, whose district includes Torrington. ``I think the state wisely is focusing on three sites, all of which are within a stone's throw of the Warner Theatre and city hall.''

The project is expected to take two years to complete after a final selection is made later this year.

Torrington has been working to revitalize its downtown, whose centerpiece is the revitalized Warner Theatre and the neighboring Nutmeg Ballet.

Quinn said people throughout Torrington have been resolute in their belief the courthouse has to be located near downtown. When state officials conducted a public hearing on the matter in March, the consistent message they heard was that the courthouse needed to be near the city's center.

``That was critical and pretty much everybody was on the same page,'' Quinn said, adding ``it is rare in the city of Torrington to have that much consensus on any issue.''

Officials hope the courthouse, combined with other revitalization efforts, will breathe new life into the downtown business district, Quinn said.

The state Department of Public works received nine proposals for the courthouse. Two did not meet the minimum requirement that they be 3.75 acres. The remaining seven were analyzed, DPW officials said. Department officials did not respond to questions regarding the reasons for their choice.

The planned courthouse will be 160,000 square feet and is estimated to cost $39 million.

Final selection will be based on public review and comment and an environmental impact evaluation. The environmental review for all three sites is expected to be completed by the end of September.

After a review by the state Office of Policy and Management and the purchase of the site, DPW will select an architect for the design phase of the project. When the design is completed, the project will go to bid.